Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect active in the 1820s and 1830s in Co. Galway and later in Dublin. Peter Madden was the nephew of DOMINICK MADDEN DOMINICK MADDEN , with whom he worked as 'architect in a subordinate capacity' on the Catholic cathedral at Tuam, Co. Galway, begun in 1827. After Dominick Madden had been dismissed as architect of the cathedral in 1829, Petter Madden published an anonymous Letter to the Most Rev Dr Kelly on matters concerned with the building of the new RC Cathedral, Tuam (Dublin, 1830), accusing the building committee and its chairman, Martin Loftus, of having treated Dominick Madden unfairly and of not having paid him all that was due to him for his work.(1)

Like his uncle some ten years before him, Peter Madden made proposals for Tudor Gothic alterations and additions to Brooklodge, Galway, for Martin Joseph Blake, MP, in 1836-37.(2) In March 1837, while he was still in correspondence with Blake about payment for his plans and estimates, he asked him to recommend him for the post of superintending architect for the Protestant ecclesiastical province of Tuam as advertised by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.(3) Nothing more is heard of this idea, and by 1847 Madden had moved to Dublin. Peter Madden, architect, of 5 Connaught Place, Kingstown, and Galway, is listed in Pettigrew & Oulton's Dublin Directory for that year. He remained at 5 Connaught Place until 1874,(4) when he moved to Islington Avenue.(5) He died in Kingstown on 15 March 1877, leaving property in Kingstown and in Galway to his widow, Jane.

Peter Madden could possibly be the 'P. Madden' who was admitted to the Royal Dublin Society's School of Drawing in Architecture on 25 April 1822,(6) but there was also a builder of the same surname and initial in Dublin (see PATRICK MADDEN PATRICK MADDEN ).

Addresses: Merchant's Road, Galway, 1837; 5 Connaught Place, Dun Laoghaire, <=1847-1874; 6 Islington Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, 1875.

See WORKS.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from Patricia McCarthy & Kevin V. Mulligan, 'Unfulfilled mediocrity: the hapless career of Dominick Madden in the west of Ireland', Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies 10 (2007), 99-149.

(1) University College, Dublin, O'Kelly Pamphlets, Special Collections, 34 M8/1; a full account of the contents of the letter is given by McCarthy & Mulligan, op. cit., above.
(2) McCarthy & Mulligan, op. cit., 114-118(illus.),135-136
(3) NA, Blake of Ballyglunin papers M6936/38/M6936/38/79 (information from Kevin Mulligan).
(4) Post Office Dublin Directory (1874).
(5) Post Office Dublin Directory (1875).
(6) MS. transcript from Royal Dublin Society minutes of School of Drawing in Architecture admissions and prizewinners (in IAA).


3 work entries listed in chronological order for MADDEN, PETER


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Building: CO. MAYO, BALLINA, CATHEDRAL OF ST MUIREDACH (RC)
Date: 1827
Nature: New Gothic cathedral. FS laid 14 May (Ascension Day), 1827. Peter Madden named as architect by Reilly.
Refs: Terry Reilly, Dear Old Ballina(n.d.), 62 (cited by Patricia McCarthy & Kevin V. Mulligan 'Unfulfilled mediocrity: the hapless career of Dominick Madden in the west of Ireland', Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies, 9 (2006), 147n85

Building: CO. GALWAY, TUAM, CATHEDRAL OF THE ASSUMPTION (RC)
Date: 1827-1836
Nature: Worked as 'architect in a subordinate capacity' under Dominick Madden.
Refs: [Peter Madden}, Letter to the Most Rev Dr Kelly on matters concerned with the building of the new RC Cathedral, Tuam (Dublin, 1830); Patricia McCarthy & Kevin V. Mulligan 'Unfulfilled mediocrity: the hapless career of Dominick Madden in the west of Ireland', Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies, 10 (2007), 99-108(illus.),131-132

Building: CO. GALWAY, BROOKLODGE
Date: 1836-37
Nature: Proposed adds. & alts. in Tudor Gothic style. Not carried out.
Refs: Patricia McCarthy & Kevin V. Mulligan 'Unfulfilled mediocrity: the hapless career of Dominick Madden in the west of Ireland', Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies 9 (2006), 98-149